Fishing tool



June 3, 1930. G. K. BECKETT 1,761,463

FISHING TOOL Filed Oct. 10, 192B l2 Sheets-Sheet l Fr. Z

FISHING TOOL Filed oct. 1o, '1928 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

wwf/rafa gna/#V17 Patented June 3, 1930 Unirse! isrArEs GovnNon Bncxnmr, or BAKEnsFInLD, CALIFORNIA 1 FISHING TOOL l Application i1ed(lctober 10, 1928. Serial No. 311,644.

My inveirtion. relates to fishing tools vforuse in oil and gas wells, and it has particular rei erence to tools for removing from wells the obstructions, Abroken or Vlost parts otrotary bits, and other tools used in rotarydrilling.

'lt is a purpose of my invention to provide a iishing tool possessing structural simplicity, durability, and low cost oi'manufacture, and which is adapted orassociation and operal tion by a rotary drill .pipe to receive and hold `a rotary bit or any part thereof, or any other object lostin a well, in such'manner that by 'removal of 'the drill pipe'the tool or other object maybe recovered. I will describe onlyy one form of ishing'tool embodyingmy linvention and will then point outV the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 lis a viewshowing in' vertical section one form of iinishing tool kembodyingmy invention, the tool being in'objectreceiving or noneholding position; i

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the tool in objectlholding position;

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken on the lines 3 3 and 4 4, respectively, vof Fig. 1; l

Fig. 5 is a view similar tol Fig. 4 showing a modified vform of connection between the 'actuating shoe and the slips of the grab. device;

Fig. 6 is aviewsimilar to Fig. 1 with the jaws broken away 'to reveal the interior `construction oi theshoe'; and l 7 is a view showing one of the 'jaws `in perspective.

In carrying out my invention, I "provide a stem 15 formed at its upper end witha pin 16 ladapted for connection within 4the box at the lower end of a rotarydrillV pipe 'or sub S 40 in order thatthe toolas a unit may be operated by rotation ofthe drill pipe. VAtits lowler end the stem 15 is formed Vwith a head17 oi' larger diameter than {the remainder of the stem, and this head is connected to a bushing 4:5 18 by means of a pinand box connection 19.

The split bushing 18is formed, in the gpresent e instance, of two identical sections recessed on their inner faces fat correspondingpoints A, so that whenassembledthe recesses coact to 'preciese a spherical socket 20, in which ball der the influence oi an actuating shoe. The

"confronting faces of the jaws are formed with 'outwardly extending teeth 23, in order that when an object is inserted between the jaws th'eflatter are moved to a gripping or holding position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the object "being lheld against displacement from the Ajaws and the internal diameter of thedevice kdecreased toward its lower end to increase its holding action 1n respect'to the object.

The upper ends of the jaws are formed with `.head sections 244which coactto provide a substantially spherical head adapted to rotate within the socket 20, and to thereby provide a swivel mounting for th'eaw's in order that they may Ihave a hinged movement to occupy open and closed positions, and yet ymay rotate with respect tothe bushing. It will be understood that the head sections 24 project upwardly from a neckfporti'on 25 which extends through the 'mouthf20a ofthe socket 20. The diameter yot the-neck in respect tothe mouth yis such thatthe jaws are free to occupy open vand closed positions.

By reference to Figs. '1 and 2, the precise contour of the head section-s 24, to permit hinged movement .of the vjaws 22V to allow. ythem to occupy open and closed positions, will be apparent. As shown, thev confronting faces ci' the head sections24; are yformed, with surfaces 26` and 27 which. recede from their point `oi connection,indicated Aatl28, the recession of the surfac'es26 being more abrupt than that of the surfaces 27, and thesurfaces 27 being in effect a continuation ofthe `confronting edges ofthe jaws '22. This construction causes the head sections 2.4, under opening or closing movement of the jaws 22, to swing in 'the tool is being lowered into the hole.

socket 2O about the point 28 as a center so that it may be said that the jaws have a hinged movement about the axis 2S as a center. It will be understood that this hinged movement is independent of any bodily movement of the aws in which the head 24, as a unit, rotates within the socket and about a vertical. axis.

The mounting of the jaws 22 is such that under the action of gravity they normally occupy an open position as illustrated in F ig. l, and in which position the object to be recovered is adapted to be inserted between the jaws by lowering of the tool onto the object.

The jaws are adapted to be mover to what is termed a closed or holding position through the actuation of a shoe 29 provided with a hub 30 threaded interiorly to engage the threads 3l on the stem 15. As shown in Fig. 6, the shoe is of tubular form and its lower end, which is open, is of frusto-conical form on the inner side thereof, as indicated at 29, and is tapered toward its free edge in order that it may present a surface parallel to the outer periphery of the jaws 22. The surface of this frusto-conical portion is formed withgrooves in which tongues or keys 32 are secured to slide within grooves in the jaws 22. As the tongues 32 slide within the grooves 33 it will be manifest that theshoe 29 is free to move upwardly on the jaws 22, exerting a constricting or contracting action on the aws so as to swing them to closed or holding position in respect to the object to be recovered. Such upward movement of the shoe is effected by rotating the stem 15, the threads 3l producing an upward feeding of the shoe as will be understood. The shoe is limited in its upward movement by a sharp angled shoulder 34k at the upper edge of the frusto-conical portion abutting sharp angled shoulders 34a on the upper ends of the jaws 22. These shoulder 34C and 34 also serve to produce a compact unit when the tool is in open position, yet holding the jaws open and preventing looseness or dangling thereof and downward movement of the shoe on the stem while the This is important because it is impossible to lower a string of drill pipe or any other pipe into a hole without repeated forward and backward rotation thereof which. in a. great many instances results in closing of the jaws.

[n practice, the fishing tool is adapted to be associated with the lower end of a rotary drill pipe in the manner previously described, the shoe 29 occupying the upper position shown in Fig. l, in which the aws 22 are held in open position. By lowering the drill within the well Vto the bottom thereof or to any des-ired point for fishing out any small obstructions or small, broken, or other parts of lost tools, the jaws 22 of the grab device pass about the object to be recovered.

When the jaws come in contact with the bottom of the hole they are held against rotating by such contact. This holding is transmitted to the shoe 29 through the tongues 32 so that by now rotating the stein 1G through the medium of the drill pipe and in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2), the threads 31 will operate to feed the shoe 29 downwardly on the stem to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the jaws 22 are swung inwardly to a closed or holding position thereby effectively gripping the object to be recovered. It will thus be understood that with subsequent lifting of the drill pipe from the well, the fishing tool will continue to hold the object so that its removal and recovery may be effected.

It is important to not-e that by reason of the particular formation of the jaws 22 the weight of the drill pipe as imposed on the upper ends of the jaws tends to force them open or outward so their positive opening is insured when the shoe 29 is in elevated position. As rotation of the drill pipe extends no further down than to the socket 20, turning the drill pipe first in one direction and then the other will slide the shoe upwardly and then downwardly, and when the tool is within a well and the jaws against the bottom thereof, it will be clear that by such turning operation of the drill pipe the jaws ma y be caused to perform a sort of digging action in and around any article that might be buried in the bottom of the well, thereby effecting a secure gripping.

ln Fig. 5, I have shown a modified means of operatively connecting the shoe 29 with the jaws 22 manually for the purpose of illustrating that various means may be rcsorted to without departing from thel spirit of my invention. The means in this instance comprises the formation of tongues 35 on the jaws 22 to slide within grooves 36 of the shoe 29. Further, I do not wish to be restricted or limited to the number of jaws employed or to the precise construction thereof, as it will be understood that any number and .construction of jaws may be employed to suit the size and form of the objects to be recovered.

Although l have herein shown and dcscribedA only one form of fishing tool enibodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spiritofi the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

' l.V A fishing tool comprising a stem. a socket member on thestem, jaws having head sections seated within the socket member and supporting the jaws for movement to occupy open and closed positions, and a shoe movable on the stem to `move the jaws to closed and open positions.

A fishing tool comprising a stem, a .socket member on the stem, aws having hcad members seated in the sock'et member to permit the jaws to occupy open and closed positions and to allow rotation of the stem independently of the jaws, shoe threaded on the stem to occupy either of two extreme positions according as the stem is rotated in one direction or the other, said shoe housing the jaws when in one extreme position and eXposing the latter when in the other extreme position, and a. connection between the jaws and shoe for moving` the jaws to open and closed positions accordino' as the shoe is moved to one extreme position and then the other.

3. A fishing` tool as embodied in claim 2 wherein said connection comprises tongues secured in the shoe and grooves in the aws.

4. A fishing tool as embodied in claim 2 wherein said connection comprises tongues on the jaws and grooves in the shoe receiving said tongues.

5. A fishing tool comprisino' a split bushing adapted to be secured to a stem and having a socket, a pair of jaws having `head sections thereon seated in said socket for rotation therein and provided with faces to permit hinged movement of the jaws tooccupy open and closed positions, and an actuating shoe threaded on the stem and operable to move the jaws to closed and open positions.

6. A fishing tool comprising a stem, a

' socket member on the stem, jaws having head members seated in the socket member to permit the jaws to occupy open and closedpositions and to allow rotation of the stem independently ot the jaws, and a shoe threaded on the stem to occupy either or" two extreme positions according as the stem is rotated in one 'direction or the other, said shoe hous-y ing the jaws when inl one extreme position and exposing the latter when in the other extreme position.

7. A fishing 'tool comprising a stem,

a socket member on the stem, jaws having head members seated in the socketV member to permit the aws to occupy open and closed positions and to allow rotation of stem independently ofthe jaws, and a shoe threaded on the stem for mo fing the jaws to closed and open positions.

8. A fishing tool comprising a split bushing adapted to be secured to a stem and having a socket, a pair of jaws having head sections thereon seated in said socket for rotation therein and provided with faces to permit hinged movement of the jaws to occupy open and closed positions, and means on the stem operable-to move the jaws to closed and open positions.

v9. A fishing tool comprising a stem, jaws mounted on the stem for rotating movement independently of the stem and to occupy open and closed positions, a member mounted on the stem to occupy either of two extreme positions, and a connection between the jaws and member for positively moving the jaws to open and closed positions according as the shoe is moved to one extreme position and then the other.

l0. In a fishing tool, a split bushing adapted to-be secured to a stem and having a socket therein, and a pair of jaws having head sections thereon seated in said socket for rotation therein and provided with faces to permit movement of the jaws to occupy open and closed positions.

ll. As an article of manufacture, a pair of jaws for use in fishing tools, each of which is of substantially semicircular form with the concave sides in confronting relation and provided with upwardly extending teeth, said jaws increasing in thickness toward the lower ends and having head sections at the upper ends and having members at the upper ends coacting` to provide a substantially spherical head.

l2. An article of manufacture as embodied in claim 11 wherein said members are provided at. the confronting sides with angular faces to allow rocking movement of one member on the other to permit opening and closing movement of the jaws.

13. A fishing tool comprising a stem, jaws pivoted on the stem to occupy open and closed positions, a shoe mounted on the stem for movement to one extreme position in which the jaws are free to occupy open posi tion, and to another extreme position in which the jaws are moved to closed position, and means on the jaws and shoe coacting when the jaws are in open position to rigidly hold the latter in such position against dangling and to maintain the shoe against downward movement on the stemwhen the tool is being lowered into a hole.

Signed at Bakersfield in the county of Kern and State of California this 27th day of September, 1928.

GOVENOR K. BECKETT. 

